Lebanese Prison Strike Enters 20th Day Amid Growing Health Concerns

The "General Amnesty" hunger strike in Lebanon enters its twentieth day, as approximately 530 inmates across several prisons continue their open-ended hunger and medication strike since the Constitutional Council froze the amnesty law.

A spokesperson for the prisoners stated in his daily briefing that the number of critical cases has risen to 53, following the deterioration of two prisoners' health conditions on Thursday.

The Lebanese Observatory for Prisoners' Rights revealed that Roumieh Prison administration conducted skin tests for latent tuberculosis, covering dozens of inmates in the convicted building.

It added that test results, evaluated after 72 hours, showed positive indicators in more than 80 percent of those tested. This necessitated chest X-rays to check for active infections, without notifying the inmates of the results.

The Observatory noted that these developments reinforce previous concerns regarding the spread of infection within the prison, warning that limited medical resources could exacerbate the health situation.

The Observatory renewed its call for the Constitutional Council to end the freeze on the General Amnesty Law, considering its implementation a first step toward alleviating overcrowding and reforming penal institutions.